Advertising display device



Nov. 11; 1958- T. GUTTERSON 2,859,546

ADVERTISING DISPLAY DEVICE Filed NOV. 12, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent ADVERTISING DISPLAY DEVICE Thomas Gutterson, SantaBarbara, Calif.

Application November 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,227

(Ilaims. (Cl. 40-10) This invention relates to an advertising displaydevice and, more particularly, to a demountable advertising displaydevice adapted to be utilized in conjunction with conventional mountingmeans provided in grocery stores and similar establishments to indicateto a prospective customer the location of certain goods whose positionmight not be readily ascertainable without the utilization of theadvertising device of my invention.

It is conventional practice in self-service grocery stores, such assupermarkets and the like, to stack the merchandise on shelves and toindicate the price thereof by mounting price tags thereunder inconventional price tag moldings. However, when a special is run, as isso frequently the custom during week-end promotions, it is frequentlynecessary for the prospective purchaser to search through the storeseeking the advertised special" or specials. This is attributable to thefact that the mechandise is stacked on the shelves in parallel lines andit is usually impossible to distinguish the different categories ofmerchandise, one from the other, by looking down the relatively lengthyaisles along which the shelves are arranged.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an advertisingdisplay device which includes a demountable mounting member and alegend-bearing display card adapted to be mounted in said mountingmember to indicate the location of the goods to a person standing in theaisle in which the goods is located or elsewhere in a line of visionwith the display card.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of an advertisingdisplay device which includes a mounting member having movable legsprovided thereupon which permit the mounting member to be demountablylocated in the conventional price tag molding usually utilized in mostsupermarkets and other retail establishments.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a mounting memberof the aforementioned character which includes a receptacle for thereception of the aforesaid display card to permit different displaycards to be mounted in the mounting member so that an appropriatedisplay card may be selected for use in conjunction with the mechandisewhose location is being advertised on the display card.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of an advertisingdisplay device of the aforementioned character wherein the mountingmember includes retaining means for maintaining the display card in apredetermined position thereupon.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an advertisingdisplay device of the aforementioned character which includes a unitarymounting member formed from resilient material so that the aforesaidlegs of said mounting member may be adjusted to compensate fordifferences in the dimensions of price tag moldings with which themounting member is utilized.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of an advertisingdisplay device of the aforementioned 2,859,546 Patented Nov. 11, 1958character which includes a recess for the reception of an associateddisplay card and which incorporates retaining means for said displaycard located to position the display card at a selected angle so thatthe display card will attract the attention of an individual looking forthe merchandise with which the display card is associated.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a mounting memberof the aforementioned character which has cutting means on theextremities of the aforesaid legs so that the mounting member can bereadily utilized by inserting it in penetrable surfaces such as thesides of corrugated containers and the like.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of a mountingmember which includes adjustable retaining means so that the angle ofinclination or orientation of the display card mounted in said mountingmember may be varied to suit the particular application in which theadvertising display device of my invention is utilized.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing which is for thepurpose of illustration only and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the advertising display device ofmy invention mounted in association with the price tag molding on amerchandise supporting shelf;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the advertising display device of myinvention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the broken line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a portion of theadvertising display device of my invention showing the resilient legsthereof in expanded condition;

Fig. 5- is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of themounting member incorporated in the advertising display device of myinvention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of theinvention; and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the advertising display device shown inFig. 6 of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1-3 thereof, 1 showan advertising display device 10 constructed in accordance with myinvention and including a mounting member 12 and a display card 14supported thereupon. The mounting member 12 is, as best shown in Figs.1-3 of the drawing, of generally U-shaped configuration and includes apair of spaced legs 16 connected by an integral intermediate bight 18.The oppositely disposed extremities of the legs 16 are provided withangularly oriented foot portions 20 and the entire mounting member 12 ispreferably formed from a single piece of spring steel or similarresilient material to permit the legs 16 to be moved toward each otheror to permit them to spring outwardly away from each other toaccommodate variations in size of the conventional price tag moldings,such as the molding 22, in which the mounting member 12 is shown asbeing supported.

The price molding 22 is conventionally utilized to support price tagswhich are located under the merchandise 24 supported on a shelf 26 toindicate the sales price thereof.

The upper and lower edges of the price tag molding 22 are provided withrecesses 28 in which the foot portions 20 on the extremities of the legs16 are located to secure the mounting member 12 in operativerelationship with said molding.

Due to the inherent resilience of the spring steel or other materialfrom which the mounting member 12 is fabricated, the legs 16 thereof arenormally disposed in spread-apart position, shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawing, and it is necessary to press the legs 16 toward each other topermit the foot portions on the extremities of said legs 3 to be fittedwithin the recesses 28 on the upper and lower edges of the molding 22.The normal bias of the legs outwardly serves to urge the foot portions20 into intimate relationship with the recesses 28 and thus insures thatthe mounting member 12 will be positively retained in operativerelationship with the molding 22.

The foot portions 20 are, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing,provided with sharp, pointed ends 30 having knife edges thereupon.Therefore, if it is desired to insert the foot portions 20 on the legs16 of the mounting member 12 in a side wall of a corrugated papercontainer or the like in which merchandise is frequently displayed ingrocery stores, the sharpened ends 30 of the foot portions 20 are pushedthrough the side walls of the corrugated paper containers and areretained therein to dispose the mounting member 12 for the reception ofan associated display card 14. A receptacle 32 is provided in themounting member 12 and is constituted by an elongated slot 34 formedtherein and extending from one leg 16 through the bight 18 and into theother leg 16. Retaining means 36 constituted by an integral transverselyoriented bar 38 extends across the slot 34 and is utilized to maintainthe advertising display card 14 in the slot 34 in a predeterminedorientation, as will be apparent from the description appearinghereinbelow.

The display card 14 is, as best shown in Figs. l-3 of the drawing,constituted by an elongated, substantially rectangular piece 40 ofpaper, plastic, or other suitably thin material, bearing an advertisinglegend 42 upon the opposite surfaces thereof. Provided in the innerextremity of the display card 14 is means engageable with the retainingmeans 36 constituted by a notch 44 in the edge of said inner extremity.A corner of the inner extremity of the display card 14 is cut away, asat 48, to facilitate the insertion or removal of the said extremity inthe receptacle 32.

During the process of installing the display card 14 in the mountingmember 12, the legs 16 of said mounting member are disposed in theexpanded position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing to facilitate themounting of said display card in the receptacle 32 in said mountingmember. The inner extremity of the display card 14 is first fittedwithin the receptacle 32 and the notch 44 provided therein fitted overthe retaining bar 38. Subsequently, the inner extremity of the displaycard 14 is rotated about the bar 38 to cause the opposite corner of thedisplay card 14 to underlie the upper leg 16 of the mounting member. Thenotch 44 must be of suflicient depth to permit the legs 16 to be movedinwardly to fit the narrowest tag molding and is necessary to permitsuch inward movement.

The advertising display device is now ready for insertion in a price tagmolding and the resilient legs 16 are pressed toward each other toreduce the distance therebetween to an extent which will permit theinsertion of oppositely disposed foot portions 20 upon the extrern-'ities of said legs in oppositely located recesses 28 in an associatedprice tag molding 22. When the foot portions 20 are located adjacent therecesses 28, the legs 16 are released and the foot portions 20 aresprung into their respective recesses 28 to maintain the mounting member12 in operative relationship with the price tag molding 22.

It will be noted that the bar 38 is located in a position in the slot 34which causes the advertising display card 14 to assume an attitudedivergent from a horizontal axis. In this manner, a dynamic andeyecatching orientation of the display card is achieved. It is alsoobvious that the location of the retaining bar 38 determines theorientation of the display card 14 with respect to the mounting member12 and to a surface upon which it is located.

In some applications, the price tag molding 22 is disposed in anangularly oriented fashion, as best shown in Fig. of the drawing, and itis desirable to provide a mounting member 50, the lower leg 52 Qt (highis somewhat shorter than the upper leg 54 thereof. Therefore, when themounting member 50 is located in the angularly oriented price tagmolding 22, it will assume a position substantially similar to thatassumed by the mounting member 12 having legs of substantially identicallength. It should also be noted that the mounting member 50 is providedwith lower and upper retaining bars 38 and 56 which extend across theslot 34 constituting the receptacle 32. Y

The advertising display card 14 is provided with lower and upperoppositely disposed notches 44 and 58 in the opposite edges thereof toreceive, respectively, the lower and upper retaining bars 38 and 56, asbest shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. It is readily apparent, therefore,that the advertising display card 14 will be maintained in operativeposition within the slot 34 by the engagement of the notches 44 and 58upon the retaining bars 38 and 56. If it be desired to maintain theadvertising display card 14 in a horizontal rather than in an angularlyoriented position, the relationship of the retaining bars to each othercan be altered to cause the display card 14 to assume said horizontalposition.

An alternative embodiment 60 of the advertising display device of myinvention is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the. drawing and includes amounting member 62 formed from spring wire or the like. The mountingmember 62 is constituted by a pair of identically shaped, substantiallysemi-circular clips 64 which have leg portions 66 formed integrallytherewith. The clips 64 are maintained in operative relationship witheach other by ties 68 and the semi-circular portions thereof are spacedapart to define a receptacle 70 for the inner extremity of a displaycard 14.

Straddling the receptacle 70 are movable upper and lower retaining bars72 and 74, respectively, which can be shifted on the semicircularportions of the clips 64 to locate them in a desired orientation so thatthe orientation of a display card 14 mounted thereupon may be adjustedto suit the particular application in which the advertising displaydevice 60 is utilized. Since the semicircular portions of the clips 64tend to spread apart from each other, the retaining bars 72 and 74 maybe frictionally maintained in positions of adjustment upon the clips 64.However, I have provided serrations 76 on the sides of the clips 64 toinsure positive retention of the retaining bars 72 and 74 in a selectedposition.

I thus provide by my invention an advertising display device which ischaracterized by flexibility of utilization and extreme simplicity inboth mounting and demounting the display device from points ofapplication and use. Furthermore, the display device of my inventionpermits the attention of prospective purchasers to be called to thearticles of merchandise with which the display device is associatedsince it extends outwardly into the aisle of an establishment in whichit is used to direct the attention of the purchaser to the particularlocation sought.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an advertising display device for use in conjunction with amounting member having oppositely disposed recesses therein, thecombination of: a substantially U- shaped clip incorporating movablelegs the ends of which are disposable in said recesses and having anelongated slot provided intermediate its ends with retaining means: anda legend-bearing display card having one end disposed in said slot, saidone end having means thereupon engageable with said retaining means tomaintain said card in a predetermined position in said clip.

2. In an advertising display device for use in conjunction with amounting member having oppositely disposed recesses therein, thecombination of: a substantially U-shaped clip incorporating resilientlegs the ends of which are disposable in said recesses and having anelongated slot provided intermediate its ends with retaining means; anda legend-bearing display card having one and disposed in said slot, saidone end having means thereupon engageable with said retaining means tomaintain said card in a predetermi ed position in said clip.

3. in an advertising display device for use in conjunction with amounting member having oppositely disposed recesses therein, thecombination of: a substantially U-shaped clip incorporating movable legsthe ends of which are disposable in said recesses and having anelongated slot provided intermediate its ends with retaining means, saidretaining means being constituted by bar means extending transversely ofsaid slot; and a legendbearing display card having one end disposed insaid slot, said one end having means thereupon engageable with saidretaining means to maintain said card in a predetermined position insaid clip.

4. In an advertising display device or use in conjunction with amounting member having oppositely disposed recesses therein, thecombination of: a substantially U-shaped clip incorporating movable legsthe ends of which are disposable in said recesses and having anelongated slot provided intermediate its ends with retaining means; anda legend-bearing display card having one end disposed in said slot, saidone end having notch means thereupon engageable with said retainingmeans to maintain said card in a predetermined position in said clip.

5. In an advertising display device for use in conjunction with amounting member having oppositely disposed recesses therein, thecombination of: a substantially U-shaped clip incorporating movable legsthe ends of which have cutting edges thereupon and are disposable insaid recesses and having an elongated slot provided intermediate itsends with retaining means; and a legendbearing display card having oneend disposed in said slot, said one end having means thereuponengageable with said retaining means to maintain said card in apredetermined position in said clip.

6. In an advertising display device, the combination of: a mountingmember having resilient legs which are movable toward or away from eachother to permit said legs to be supported in mounting fixtures ofdifierent dimensions, said member having an elongated slot therein andincorporating retaining means thereupon, said retaining means beingconstituted by spaced bar means extending transversely of said slot; anda legend-bearing display card having one end disposed in said slot, saidone end having means thereupon engageable with said retaining means tomaintain said card in a predetermined position in said clip.

7. In an advertising display device, the combination of: a mountingmember having resilient legs which are movable toward or away from eachother to permit said legs to be supported in mounting fixtures ofdifierent dimensions, said member having an elongated slot therein andincorporating retaining means thereupon, said retaining means beingconstituted by spaced bar means extending transversely of said slot; anda legend-bearing card having its extremity in said slot and notches inits opposite edges engageable with said bar means to maintain it in apredetermined position in said slot.

8. In an advertising display device, the combination of: a mountingmember having resilient legs which are movable toward or away from eachother to permit said legs to be supported in mounting fixtures ofdifferent dimensions, said member having an elongated slot therein andincorporating retaining means thereupon, said retaining means beingconstituted by adjustable spaced bar means extending transversely ofsaid slot; and a legend-bearing display card having one end disposed insaid slot, said one end having means thereupon engageable with saidretaining means to maintain said card in a predetermined position insaid clip.

9. A retainer clip including a unitary, substantially U-shaped bodyhaving a receptacle for an advertising card therein and retainer meansextending transversely of said receptacle to engage a notch in saidadvertising card.

10. A retainer clip including a unitary, substantially U-ehaped bodyhaving a receptacle for an advertising card therein: and retainer meansextending transversely of said receptacle to engage a notch in saidadvertising card, said retainer means being constituted by bar meansextending transversely of said retainer and formed integrally therewith.

11. A retainer clip including a unitary, substantially U-shaped bodyhaving a receptacle for an advertising card therein and retainer meansextending transversely of said receptable to engage said advertisingcard, said retainer means being constituted by movable bar meansextending transversely of said retainer and movable thereupon.

12. A tag holder comprising an elongate resilient strip, an car on eachend of the strip, a centrally located slot running longitudinally of thestrip and an aperture adjacent an end of the strip.

13. A tag holder comprising an elongate resilient strip, an ear formedon each end of the strip for engaging the edges of a shelf channel whenthe strip is bent in the form of a reversed C, a centrally located slotrunning longitudinally of the strip for accommodating a tag and anaperture adjacent each end of the strip for receiving projections of thetag mounted in the bent strip.

14. A tag holder comprising an elongate resilient strip, an edge at eachend of the strip bent away from the same side of the strip for formingan ear for engaging the edges of a shelf channel when the strip is bentin the form of an inclined U, a centrally located slot runninglongitudinally of the strip for passage therethrough of a tag and anelongate aperture adjacent each end of the strip for receivingprojections from the end of the tag mounted in the bent strip.

15. A tag holder according to claim 14 in combination with an elongatetag provided with projections extending at right angles from an endthereof and mounted in the holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,475,134 Oakes Nov. 20, 1923 1,738,892 Gray Dec. 10, 1929 1,915,116Barrett June 20, 1933 2,573,413 Duncan Oct. 30, 1951 2,598,890 Cisi eta1. June 3, 1952

